The present invention relates to optical fiber products and, more particularly, to optical fiber storage products and methods for using the same.
Optical fiber networks are increasingly being installed to support high-speed voice and data communications. Increasingly, the optical fiber coupling is being expanded out from the central office of the communication service provider companies, such as Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) to the subscriber locations, such as homes or businesses, where conventional copper wiring was conventionally used. Such alternate methods of providing bandwidth to subscriber locations are often referred to in the telecoms industry as Fiber to the Home FTTH)
Conventional methods for distributing optical fiber cables to customers on a Passive Optical Network (PON) include the form of an overhead distribution network, where the end distribution fiber cables are supported on poles, and/or an underground distribution network, where optical fiber cables extend through ducts between local manhole access points. At the access points, subscribers are provided access through splicing into a main cable from a central office, generally through a drop cable coupled to the main cable at the manhole or other access point.